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[Alex Atkin UK]

As I swapped out my ECI B-FOCuS V-2FUb/r Rev B for a Home Hub 5, I decided to flash OpenWRT onto the ECI.

Unfortunately, it seems I have another issue to deal with first. 

[mofa2020]

that is easy to deal with.

[mrk26]

If modem works as should, I don't see reason why you should replace them....
I can't remember to see any corrosion on mine when I opened, maybe they was marked with something and that marker corroded/contaminated?

[tubaman]

If modem works as should, I don't see reason why you should replace them....
I can't remember to see any corrosion on mine when I opened, maybe they was marked with something and that marker corroded/contaminated?

If the tops are bulging, as they appear to be, then then need replacing as they are failing/have failed.
 

[mrk26]

Well in that case I may check how mine looks like 
In worse case will be few minutes to change them.

[Alex Atkin UK]

that is easy to deal with.

That's what I thought, but for some bizarre reason they seem to have plated the holes so was an absolute PITA trying to get enough heat from my paltry 30W iron.  I see now why drilling was suggested for the UART pins.

[mofa2020]

That's what I thought, but for some bizarre reason they seem to have plated the holes so was an absolute PITA trying to get enough heat from my paltry 30W iron.  I see now why drilling was suggested for the UART pins.

Oh I see, did you get it working again?

[mrk26]

That's what I thought, but for some bizarre reason they seem to have plated the holes so was an absolute PITA trying to get enough heat from my paltry 30W iron.  I see now why drilling was suggested for the UART pins.

If you clean hole by hole with cooper wick wire there shouldn't be an issue, other option is to use quik chip smd remover solder which stay liquid in low temperature (down to 60 Celsius degree) and by that you can push through pin header. As far I remember mine wasn't plated, holes was soldered , but wasn't drama, I definitely don't need to drill them 

[Alex Atkin UK]

Oh I see, did you get it working again?

It was actually working fine, getting a higher sync than anything else I had tried, but its only a matter of time before it would cause stability issues or die completely.  The worst cap appears to drive the modem chip, very real risk of it getting fried if the power isn't being smoothed.

If you clean hole by hole with cooper wick wire there shouldn't be an issue, other option is to use quik chip smd remover solder which stay liquid in low temperature (down to 60 Celsius degree) and by that you can push through pin header. As far I remember mine wasn't plated, holes was soldered , but wasn't drama, I definitely don't need to drill them 

Yeah I meant to get some wick and maybe liquid flux, but I do so little soldering I never got round to it.  Usually pushing/pulling caps out is easy, but this PCB seemed particularly stubborn.  I only opened it to do the UART which I was just going to temporarily solder wires onto, so I wasn't really prepared for this.

I ended up flashing the Plusnet Hub One instead as I need to wait for a replacement for that particularly gunky cap to arrive.  Hopefully the green ones are okay, because it quickly becomes uneconomical as ordering caps in tiny quantities is stupidly expensive.  I suspect the Home Hub 5A/Plusnet Hub One perform identically and as so readily available, I'd just rather use the ECI as it can be wall mounted.

Its really mucked up my telecom corner as the short RJ11 cables I got for the previous layout don't reach now, plus the ethernet mess:

BEFORE: (think of this but with the white ECI/HG612, can't find a pic of that)

AFTER:


The HH5 design is absolutely awful for cable management.

[mofa2020]

It was actually working fine, getting a higher sync than anything else I had tried, but its only a matter of time before it would cause stability issues or die completely.  The worst cap appears to drive the modem chip, very real risk of it getting fried if the power isn't being smoothed.

Well done, and gladly you discovered it before things get worse 

[mrk26]

What company you use for caps? I order from farnell uk, prices not bad and really good quality. I understand if someone don't solder on daily basis (I don't but when I do I need proper stuff, can't risk damage on customer equipment).

[Alex Atkin UK]

What company you use for caps? I order from farnell uk, prices not bad and really good quality. I understand if someone don't solder on daily basis (I don't but when I do I need proper stuff, can't risk damage on customer equipment).

If I were going to use it long-term, maybe I'd do something different, but I just grab something off eBay.  I had two of the three replacements already left over from a batch I bought quite some time ago to repair some much older routers, hopefully they haven't aged badly in storage, but I think they were "supposed" to be Panasonic.  The originals at the top, replacement at the bottom.  No clue if the old were low ESR or not, if it matters I replaced them with low ESR.  I did have normal caps of that rating too but figured it was safer using a better branded low ESR, just in case.




The replacement modem cap is also "supposed" to be Panasonic.  But with FTTP on the horizon, its not like I need it to last another 5 years. (hopefully, some nightmare stories of how long it takes FTTP to roll out)

[mrk26]

Nice 
I found Panasonic ones https://uk.farnell.com/panasonic/eca0jhg102/cap-1000-f-6-3v-20/dp/9692738?st=1000%20%C2%B5F%206.3v
Could you please do picture of the last one when you remove it, I will order all three and get them done just in case 

[smallal]

I've used a supplier on eBay many times going by the name of semtech1, they do good quality Panasonic caps & are very reasonable.
Now I'm going to suggest something that will have professional solderers up in arms, but it works.
If you can't get the old caps out, take a pair of pliers & pull the tops off leaving the legs behind, trim & solder to them.
Nasty but practical if they just won't budge.

[mrk26]

Now I'm going to suggest something that will have professional solderers up in arms, but it works.
If you can't get the old caps out, take a pair of pliers & pull the tops off leaving the legs behind, trim & solder to them.
Nasty but practical if they just won't budge.

You seriously, and how people suppose to repair broken tracks if they pull them out with capasitor?!? Not necessarily but just in case you have tracks on booth side of pcb...